Can I Prevent Vaginal Cancer?
There is no known way to prevent vaginal cancer. The best thing to do is stay away from risk factors when you can. Most women with vaginal cancer, though, have no known risk factors. So it’s difficult to avoid them.
Free and Low Cost Pap Smears and Mammograms
Some people have problems with insurance. That limits the care they can get. But some care can save your life. Don’t let problems with insurance keep you from getting it. Mammograms can find breast cancer in its early stages. That’s when it’s easier to treat. Pap tests can find cervical, vulvar, and vaginal cancers.
There are programs that offer both kinds of tests for free or at low-cost. Here are ways to find them.
- Call the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The number is 1-800-232-4636. For Spanish, call 1-888-232-6348.
- The Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program funds some programs. To learn about free or low-cost cancer screenings in your state, go to apps.nccd.cdc.gov/cancercontacts/nbccedp/contacts.asp.
- Check to see if your state health department has programs. To find the phone number for your state’s health department, go to www.cdc.gov/mmwr/international/relres.html.
- Call the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service. The number is 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). For text telephone (TTY), call 1-800-332-9615.
